Vending machine



July 31, 1928.

M. H. RICHARDSON ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed Apfil 19, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 2 July 31, 1928 M. H. RICHARDSON ET AL I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MYRON H. RICHARDSON AND ALFRED D. ANTOINE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS-

vSIG-NORS TO ADVANCE MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

VENDING MACHINE.

' This invention relates to improvements in vending machines of the check controlled type, and one of the objects of the same s to provide an improved machine of thls character for vending cards or sheets, and improved means for positively delivering the card and for insuring the delivery of only the proper or predetermined number of cards for which the machine is set.

A further object is to provide improved means whereby the machine may be readily adjusted to compensate varying thickness of the cards and for also varying'the number A of cards to be ejected upon each operation of the machine.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention; and in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation, partly broken away and with parts omitted, and with the rear of the casing removed.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33 Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a. horizontal sectional view taken on line 14 Figure 2, and with parts broken away.

Figure 5 is an irregular horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5 Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on line 66 Figure 2 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view of Figure 6 showin some of the parts in a different position.

Figure 8 is a detailed perspective view of the card or sheet ejector or slide.

Figure 9 is an enlarged diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the ejector upon the cards.

Figure 10 is a view in elevation of the check carrier showing the means for retaining a check against delivery from a check carrier when there are no articles in the machine to be vended.

Figure 11 is a detailed sectional view showing the ends of the gage members and the adjacent portions of the partition. Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally a casing of any desired size and configuration having a slot 11 in the front thereof through which the cards or sheets are ejected, and the casing is also provided with a removable back 12 secured in position in any suitable manner.

The casing thus constructed may be of any desired size and configuration, but in the present form of the invention is illustrated as being substantially rectangular in cross section, and of a capacity forholding two different and independent supplies of cards.

The device is adapted to be actuated and controlled by check controlled mechanism having operating handles 13 at the front of the casing and check insertion slots 14.

Any suitable check controlled mechanism may be employed for the purpose but the particular mechanism especially adapted for use in connection with this machine is shown and described in Patent 1,452,721, issued April 24, 1925, to Alfred D. Antoine.

The casing is provided with a horizontal partition 15 to form an upper and a lower chamber, the upper chamber being preferably divided by one or more partitions 16 to form two compartments or magazines 17 therein, and in which magazines the superposed cards or sheets 18 that are to be dispensed, are arranged.

The cards rest upon the horizontal partition 15 and this partition is so disposed that it will form the bottom of the Slot or opening 11 through which the cards are ejected.

As the construction and operation of the mechanism for vending the supplies of cards from both of the magazines is the same, the description of one will apply equally as well to them both.

\Vithin the magazine and adjustably secured against the front wall thereof and above the partition 15, is a plate 19 held in position by means of a screw 20 passing through a suitable slot 21 in the body of the plate. Additional screws 22 also pass through slots 23 in the plate.

The lateral edges 24 of the plate are defiected soas to form guides for gage members 25 that move against -'the respective flanges, and which gage members are preferably held in position by means of pins or projections 26 carried thereby and which project into an'dpperate i-n suitable slots 27 in the plate 19.

The lower extremities of these gage 'mem K1 bers are preferably tapered or beveled as at 28, and are adapted to normally stand in close proximity to the.'partit1on 15, being yieldingly held=-in this position by? means of a suitable elastic member 29in the, form of a spring, the body of which is coiled about an anchor member 30 carried by the plate 19. The endsof thespring 29 engage and rest upon thelupper extremities of the gages 25 and tend normally to, assist'in moving the gagenmembersdownwardly and to hold. the extremities 28-ofthe gage members in close proximity with the partition 15. In this position' of the gage members the projections 26 will engageuan'drest against the bottoms of the s'lots'27 in-the plate 19. The distance ito mo ve upwards from a fixed point prevent the machine from clogging that otherwise might be caused by a variation in the thickness or some other imperfections of the card or sheet. I

Arranged behind the member. 19-is a mein,- ber 81 which is provided with a groove or notch 32disposed in alinement with a slot 33 in the plate or member 19, so that by loosening the screws 20 and 22 and inserting an implement through the slot 33 and into the notch 32, the member 19 may be raised or lowered through the manipulation of the implement thus inserted and while the plate or member is held in this adjusted position by this implement, the screws 20 and 22 may be tightened.

The cards 18 are placed upon the partition 15 in rear of the gages 25, and the bottoms of the gage members being tapered, the danger of raising the gages by the lIlSQl tion of an implement through the slot 11 will beprevented, especially by reason of the fact that the gages 25 are laterally spaced from each other.

The cards are ejected from the bottom of the supply by means of a slide or ejector designated generally by the reference numeral 34 which is preferably provided with later ally projecting arms 35 that move in guideways 36 beneath the partition 15..

The ejector is provided with an upwardly inclined portion 37, and a downwardly projecting portion 38, to which latter is secured an upright plate 39 having an upwardly and rearwardly extending beveld iipper edge 40 which is disposed at the end of the upwardly inclined portion 37 of the ejector so as to project thereabove. i

This .plate 39 is adjustably secured in positionpreferably by me'ans or screws 41 passing through slots 42 the plate, so that by loosening the screws4l the plate 39- may be adjusted .with respect to the .ejectoi 34.

As a means for thus adjusting the plate 39 there may be. provided-a. support 43 which projects under the, plate39 and upon which the plate is adapted to rest, "-crews4'O being provided which pass throng the: plate 43 and into a portion '44 of the ejector 1 37 It will therefore be manifest that by.

loosening the screws ,4land then adjusting the screws 40, the adjustment of the plate '39 with respect to the ejector 34 may be effected,

after which the screws 41 may be tightenct to hold the plate .in position.

The beveled edge 40 of the plate 29 is adjusted so:as to project above the inclined surface 37 for a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the card to be dispensed, or of several cards when more than one is to be delivered. i

The cards 18 when superposed and when being delivered have a tendency to curl upwardly at the rear edge or end thereof and in order that the plate will en age behind the edge of the lowermost card, the inclined surface 37 is provided sothat the rear edge of the lowermost card will drop behind the plate 39 when the ejector 34 is moved to the limit of its backward movement, and the edge of the card willbe held in a proper position to be engaged by the plate 39.

By inclining the edge 40 of the plate '39 rearwardly and upwardly all danger of the edgeofthe plate 39 injuring the lowermost card and thereby clogging the machine will be avoided. Should the cards be of slightly different thickness, the lowermost card will be engaged by the plate 39 while the edge of the next adjacent card will slide over the inclined edge 40 of the plate 39 as shown in diagram in Figure 9.

As a means for holding the cards from moving rearwardly with the ejector, projections in the form of straps or bars 45 may be provided on the back 12 of the case.

A weight 46 is provided in the magazine 17 and is concaved, the extremities of the weight engaging the extremities of the cards The weight 46 is provided with a slot or opening 47 therethrough, and the partition ejector 34.

by means of a rocking member 50, pivotally inountedas at 51. The member 50 preferably embodies spaced arms, the extremities 52 of which are disposed in proximity to the partition 15 and each of the arms is provided with a bifurcated portion 53 opening through the upper extremities thereof,

and into which bifurcations projections 54 on theejector 34 extend, 'so that when the member-550 is rocked a reciprocatory and sliding movement will-be imparted to the Thus it will be seen that when the ejector 34 is inovedrearwardly the edge of the plate 39 will *engagethe lower face of the lower- :Inost card 18, until the plate has been moved beyond the'rear edge of the card. This will permit the rear edge of the lowermost card to. drop upon the inclined surface 87 behind theedge of the plate 39 and the inclined The-card may then be removed from the machine 'bygrasping the projecting end of the card and withdrawing it through the slot 11; r v As a means for preventing the operation of the machine when the magazine 17 is empty, there isprovided a 'pivotally mounted member 55 one "extremity of which projects through the slot 49 in the ejector 84, and

also through the slot 48 in the partition 15, into the magazine.

,W'hen no cards are in the magazine the member 55 will project through and beyond "the partition 15 and also into the slot 47 in a manner to be later set forth.

The check controlled mechanism herein referred to embodies a check carrying disc 56 which'is rotatable by means of the handle 13.. The disc is provided with an open check seat 58 which is adapted to be iniverted when the disc is rotated, so as to de- A member 63 is pivotally mounted at one end as at 64:, and is provided with a finger or projection 65 that is adapted to extend through a suitable opening so as to be projected to a position adjacent the path of movement of the check 59' in the check seat 58, when the disc 56 is rotated to a position to deliver the check from the seat.

lVhen the finger 65 is in the position shown in Figures 5 and 9 the check will be held against delivery from its seat and will be returned to the operator.

lVhen the finger 65 is withdrawn, the check 59 will be delivered from its seat on toa support 66, and when the check carrier 56 then returns, it will force the check 59 between the support 66 and the arm 67 to render the cam active for rocking the member 50.

The specific construction of the check controlled mechanism, however, forms no part of the present invention.

The finger of the member 63 is controlled in its operation by the articles in the magazine which rest upon and depress the member 55, the operation being as follows A rock shaft 68 (see Figure 5) preferably in the form of a rod or wire is journaled in a suitable bearing 69. One end of the shaft is deflected so as to extend over a projection 71 on the member 55 (see also Figure 3). The other portion of the member 68 depends as at 72, and projects into an opening 78. in the member 63, a spring 7 1 being provided which tends normally to move the finger 65 into a position to engage and hold a check 59 in its seat. This spring also tends normally to raise the extremity of the member 55 sothat it will project through the opening 49 in the ejector 34 through the opening &8 in the partition 15 and beyond the partition, so that when a supply of cards 18 is placed in the magazine the cards will engage and depress the end of the member 55 and rock the member about its pivot and against the stress of the spring 7& to withdraw the finger 55, so that the check 59 will be delivered from its seat in the check carrier 50 when the latter is rotated to invert the seat.

Thus it will be seen that as long as any cards are in the magazine, the weight thereof together with the weight 46, will hold the finger 65 retracted.

YVhen the magazine is empty, the spring 74 will project the finger 65 and the extremity of the member 55 will rise to permit such operation of the member 63.

The opening 47 in the weight 46 is provided so as not to interfere with this operation of the member 55 when all of the cards have been dispensed from the magazine.

It will therefore be manifest that with a machine of this character the cards will be ejected successively by the reciprocation of the ejector after the insertion of the proper check.

lVhen cards are in the magazine the mechanism will operate to deliver one card upon each operation ofzthe-ejecto'r, but when the magazine is empty of cards, the finger 65 will hold the checks59'i against delivery into the machine from the check seat and the checkwill be returned to thepoperator. i: Theupartition .l5-.may be provided with ribs or projections '15 disposed directly beneath the-gages so that. in the event the cardsor'sheets have a tendency tocurl up alongtheir side edges, theedges will have positivesupporting surfaces: @beneath the ages; 1 M, v H

l leathe preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, It is to be understood that .1 various l changes may :be ,macle. in tl1e=deta1ls oi'z'constructionand in the combination andzarrangement or"- the -several parts,- Within :the": scope 'oftli'e claims, 'yvithbut departing -.1'onr-t l1e spirit of this invent-iongq m 1 v,

-liwhat isiclaimedias newi is 1. In a vending machine, a magazine for *a-rti-cles'itn be :vended, said machine having a delive ry' opening, a plurality of loosely mounted; members spaced fronreach other in directions lengthwise of and projecting across said opening and freely and separately movable transversely-thereof, a support for the -said-members,= means .for adjusting the support;- and. means- 'for ejecting an article through the saidideliver-y opening andrbeneath the said members} I 2'. In-a-i vending machine, a magazine for articles to be vended, said machine having a 'Y'deliveryfiopeni'ng, a plurality of .loosely mou'ntedimembers spaced from'each other in directionst zlengthwise of and projecting racro'ss sa1d.=open1ng and freely and separately movable transversely thereof, a'support for the members, means for adjusting the support, and means for ejecting an article ating with said delivery opening andoperatmg transversely thereof, said members being t1 rough-thewsaid delivery-opening and beneath the saidlmembers, the lower. extremities :of the saidmembers beingtapered.

3.:111 anvending machine, .a magazine for articles to be vended, said machine having a delivery opening, aplurality of loosely mounted spring controlled members co-opervadapted:for-movement separately with re spect to.each-other,.means for simultaneously and; bodily adjusting said members to vary shoulder adjacent one'face and separate from the support, there being an opening in the support adjacent said shoulder and into which opening an implement may be inserted from the other side-of the support to simultaneously engage the said shoulder and the Wall of said opening whereby the support will beadjusted by a movement of the implement while in engagement with the shoulder of said wall.

5. In a vending machine, a magazine for articles to be vended, said machine having a delivery opening, a plate like support, a gage member mounted upon the support tor 1novement therewith and freely with respect thereto,v and a shoulder separate from' and adjacent oneface of the support, there being -;an opening in, the said plate' in alinement wwith said opening: whereby when an implement' is inserted into said opening from the other side of; the support to engage the shoulder and then rot-ated, the,said plate and gage member will-be adjusted.

6.. In a vending mach1ne,-a magazine for articles to be vended, said machine havingj a delivery opening, a plate likezsupport, a gage member; mounted upon the support for movement therewith and freely with respect thereto, a shoulder separate from and adjacent one face of the sup ort, there being an opening in the said p ate in alinement with said opening whereby when an imple- LGl1lZ}lS inserted into said opening from the other sidenf the-support, to-engage the said shoulder and then rotated, the said plate and gage member will be adjusted, means tending normally to move the said gage member m one direction with respect to=sa1d support and for yieldingly maintaining the gage member projected across said deliveryopen- .ing, and means for ejecting an article through the delivery opening and beneath said gage member.

7. In a vending machine, a magazine for a superposed supply of cards to be vended, said machine having a delivery opening, a slide for successively ejecting the cards from the bottom of the supply, means for reciprocating the slide, vthe rear portion of the slide inclining upwardly. and backwardly, and an upright plate like member adjustably secured to the slide at the end of said upwardly inclined portion of the slide to project thereabove.

8. In a vending machine, a magazine for a superposed supply of cards to be vended, said machine having a delivery opening, a

slide for successively ejecting the cards from i said plate above the surface of said inclined portion being beveled upwardly and rearwardly.

9. In a vending machine, a magazine for a superposed supply of cards to be vended, said machine having a delivery opening, a slide for successively ejecting the cards from the bottom of the supply, means for reciprocating the slide, the rear portion of the slide inclining upwardly and backwardly, an upright plate like member adjustably secured to the slide at the end of said upwardly inclined portion of the slide to project thereabove, and means controlled by the cards in the magazine for controlling the reciprocation of the said slide.

10. In a vending machine, a magazine for a superposed supply of cards to be vended, said machine having a delivery opening, a slide for successively ejecting the cards from the bottom of the supply, means for reciprocating the slide, the rear portion of the slide inclining upwardly and backwardly, an upright plate like member adjustably secured to the slide at the end of the said upwardly inclined portion of the slide to project thereabove, and means for adjusting the said plate with respect to the said slide.

11. In a vending machine, a magazine for a superposed supply of cards to be vended, said machine having a delivery opening, a slide for successively ejecting the cards from the bottom of the supply, means for reciprocating the slide, the rear portion of the slide inclining upwardly and backwardly, an upright plate like member secured to the slide at the end of the said upwardly inclined portion of the slide to project there above, and a weight in the magazine resting upon the cards, the said weight being concaved in a direction that the extremities of the weight will engage and rest against the extremities of the cards.

12. In a vending machine, a magazine for articles to be vended, said machine having a delivery opening, a support for the articles adjacent the opening, a plurality of gage members independent of each other and projecting across said opening and freely .movable transversely thereof, projections extending above the surface of the support and directly beneath the ends of the re spective gages, and means for ejecting the articles through said opening.

13. In a vending machine, a magazine for a superposed supply of cards to be vended, said machine having a delivery opening, a slide for successively ejecting the cards from the bottom of the supply, means for operating the slide, a formation on the slide to engage behind the rear edge of the card, and a weight in the magazine resting upon the cards, the edges of said weight projecting beyond the remaining portion of the lower face of the weight whereby the weight will be supported by its extremities by the extremities of the cards.

ll. In a vending machine, a magazine for the articles to be vended, said machine having a delivery opening, a plurality of memhers separate and spaced from each other in directions lengthwise of said opening and projecting across said opening, said members being loosely mounted and freely and separately movable transversely of the opening, and means for ejecting the articles through said opening and beneath the said members.

15. In a vending machine, a magazine for the articles to be vended, said magazine having a delivery opening, a loosely mounted and freely movable member projecting across said opening, a slide for successively ejecting the articles from the bottom of the supply and beneath said member, means for reciprocating the slide, means controlled by the supply of articles in the magazine for controlling the reciprocation of the slide, the last recited means embodying a pivotally mounted member, and means tending normally to project the end of the last recited member into the magazine to be engaged and depressed by the articles in the magazine.

16. In a vending machine, a magazine for the articles to be vended, said magazine having a delivery opening, a loosely mounted and freely movable member projecting across said opening, a slide for successively ejecting the articles from the bottom of the supply and beneath said member, means for reciprocating the slide, means controlled by the supply of articles in the magazine for controlling the reciprocation of the slide, the last recited means embodying a pivotally mounted member, said slide having an elongated opening therethrough, and means tending normally to project the end of the last said member into the magazine and through said elongated opening to be engaged and depressed by the articles in the magazine.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, on this 12th day of April, A. D. 1926.

MYRON H. RICHARDSON. ALFRED D. ANTOINE. 

